Charlie Watts (1941

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Biography

Charles Robert Watts was an English musician who was the drummer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 until his death in 2021.

Timeline

The story of Charlie Watts, told in moments.

1963 Event

Joined the Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had been trying to recruit him for months. He was playing jazz and didn't particularly want to join a blues band.

Why didn't you want to join the Rolling Stones? Was jazz always your real love?

1964 Life

Published a children's book, Ode to a High Flying Bird, a tribute to Charlie Parker. He designed the Rolling Stones' tour stages and album artwork for years.

Was publishing a children's book about Charlie Parker the most unexpected thing a Rolling Stone ever did? Did designing tour stages satisfy your visual side?

1989 Event

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Rolling Stones. By then he'd played drums on every one of their studio albums, a streak that would continue until his death.

Does every Rolling Stones studio album with your drums feel like a single unbroken career? Is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame meaningful to a jazz drummer?

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Explore what happened on the days that shaped Charlie Watts's life. Today In History connects historical figures with the events, births, and deaths that defined their era. Browse all historical figures or explore today's events.